School Superintendent Stages Vigil To Protest Bus Contract

School Superintendent Camps Out At City Hall To Protest Bus Contract

Hartford's new school superintendent camped out at city hall Friday night and vowed to stay until a bus company's contract to transport special-education students is revoked.

"The superintendent is the chief child advocate in this school district," said T. Josiha Haig. "Somebody has got to care for the children in this school district. It's got to be me." Haig was angered by a city decision to give the bus company more time to correct its service problems.

Haig's action followed a special meeting Friday between city officials and Vancom, the company that holds a multimillion-dollar contract to transport the city's children to and from school. The transportation program for students with special needs has been plagued with problems. Many children have been picked up late and some never got to school at all. One child was dropped off at the wrong location and was found later wandering in the streets.

School officials have said the problems, besides making students unhappy and upsetting parents, have affected the schools' ability to educate effectively.

Despite the problems, the city's purchasing department, which is in charge of awarding and overseeing the contract, decided Friday to give the company more time. Vancom and city officials reached an agreement to continue the special-education bus contract after company officials proposed subcontracting for some service.

City officials decided to give Vancom more time to improve its operation before taking legal action to revoke the special-education bus contract. The company's performance will be reviewed again in two weeks. Veda Shimkowitz, the city purchasing agent who is responsible for the contract, has been unavailable for comment since Monday.

"This is expected to increase the services to the Hartford public school students," Deputy Superintendent Charles Senteio said of the agreement after the meeting, which lasted more than three hours.

But Haig, who was not at the meeting, said that allowing Vancom to continue transporting more than 1,200 special-education children is unacceptable.

"The issue is not a legal one, the issue is a moral and ethical one," said Haig, who started his job in August.

"They're maintaining a legal profile on this whole issue," Haig said of the purchasing department. "It's bigger than legality, and they have a responsibility in my opinion to support this board of education and superintendent, who is responsible for 26,000 kids. I place the safety and health of my kids above any bureaucratic procedure." Haig showed up at the front steps of city hall shortly after 10 p.m. dressed warmly -- wearing a heavy blue coat and a wool, round-brimmed hat, and carrying gloves. He said he planned to stay until Vancom agrees to give up the contract.

"I'm going to stay here until they leave my kids alone," he said. "They've got to stop humiliating this community. These parents are crying out." Haig said this is the second time he has held a vigil. While superintendent in East Orange, N.J., Haig protested poor maintainance and the graffiti at a state school that many East Orange students attended. The cleanup efforts began before the night was over, he said.

Hartford school board President Ruthie B. Mathews said she was surprised by Haig's action but she praised his tenacity.

"He is not breaking a law; he is standing by his convictions to make sure that the children's interests come first," she said. "Those of us who are aware of this should join Dr. Haig. The city cannot dictate to us the level of safety that we need to keep in mind for our kids." School board member Thelma E. Dickerson decided late Friday, when she learned Haig was at city hall, to join him.

Mathews and other school board members said they think the city purchasing department made the wrong decision. "I'm disappointed that city purchasing concluded that, after four weeks of chaos, Vancom deserves more time," board member Allan B. Taylor said. Taylor said he isn't sure how effective Haig's approach will be in persuading the purchasing department to cancel the contract.

Board member Ted Carroll said the news of the superintendent's crusade caught him by surprise.

"He's obviously demonstrating a deep-seated belief that the contractor must be changed," Carroll said. "I think it's remarkable. It's extraordinary." Terry Van Der Aa, chief executive officer of Vancom, said the company has sought the services of another transportation company to help Vancom until it can get additional drivers licensed.

"We're looking forward to continued cooperation from the board of education working together to maximize the service to the students," Van Der Aa said.